On a visit to Beirut, Secretary Pompeo met with several senior Lebanese officials, including President Michel Aoun, Prime Minister Hariri and Foreign Minister Bassil. "We have to confront the facts. Hizbollah stands in the way of the Lebanese people's dreams", Pompeo declared in a joint appearance with Bassil, adding that "Hizbollah and its illegitimate militia put the entire country of Lebanon on the front lines of Iran's misguided proxy campaigns". "The U.S. will continue to bring unprecedented pressure to bear on Iran until it ceases all malign behaviour, including that which is carried out by Hizbollah", Pompeo added. Citing an estimate of $700 million in annual Iranian support for Hizbollah, he asserted that "our pressure on Iran is simple. It's aimed at cutting off all the funding for terrorists, and it's working... we believe that our work is already constraining Hizbollah's activities". "Lebanon and the Lebanese people face a choice", Pompeo suggested. "Bravely move forward as an independent and proud nation, or allow the dark ambitions of Iran and Hizbollah to dictate your future".